Adaptable vertical organizer

ABSTRACT

An adjustable vertical organizer having a frame with at least one vertically aligned divider detachably secured thereto is disclosed. The frame is preferably open at the top and includes one or more substantially planar vertical dividers therein that are parrallelly aligned with the front side and backside of the organizer. More preferably, a plurality of dividers are provided, each spaced apart from the other by a defined distance. Accordingly, paper, documents, folders and the like may be held substantially vertically in the vertical organizer when placed in the space between adjacent dividers, and if additional space between dividers is needed one or more of the dividers may be detached from the organizer.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED INVENTIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/571,600 filed on May 13, 2004, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an adaptable vertical organizer. In particular, the organizer includes one or more removable and adjustable dividers therein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Organizers, and particularly vertical office organizers, are widely used. The typical vertical organizer is usually constructed of inexpensive, un-aesthetically pleasing materials, such as plastic or the like, and they usually include a plurality of spaced apart vertical dividers therein. The dividers are typically rigidly secured to the organizer. These types of organizers are usually used to sort paper, files and the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Despite the benefits offered by these types of organizers, there remains a need an aesthetically pleasing organizer that is more versatile and able to optimize use of available space. The present invention fulfills these and other needs.

An adjustable vertical organizer having a frame with at least one vertically aligned divider detachably secured thereto is disclosed. The frame is preferably open at the top and includes one or more substantially planar vertical dividers therein that are parrallelly aligned with the front side and backside of the organizer. More preferably, a plurality of dividers are provided, each spaced apart from the other by a defined distance. Accordingly, paper, documents, folders and the like may be held substantially vertically in the vertical organizer when placed in the space between adjacent dividers, and if additional space between dividers is needed one or more of the dividers may be detached from the organizer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front, right isometric view of a vertical organizer in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, sectional view of a possible divider engaging structure in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a front, right isometric view of the vertical organizer of FIG. 1 showing a possible divider configuration and possible movement of a divider therein. A portion of the vertical organizer is cut-away to show internal detail.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

An adjustable vertical organizer 20 is disclosed. Preferably, the organizer 20 includes a frame 22 having a front side 24, a backside 26, a left side 28, a right side 30 and a lower side 32. Preferably the front side 24 and backside 26 are parrallelly aligned. The frame 22 is preferably open at the top 34 and includes one or more substantially planar vertical dividers 40 therein that are parrallelly aligned with the front side 24 and backside 26 of the organizer 20. More preferably, a plurality of dividers 40 a-i are provided, each spaced apart from the other by a defined distance 50. Accordingly, paper, documents, folders and the like may be held substantially vertically in the vertical organizer 20 when placed in the space between adjacent dividers 40 a-i.

As shown in FIG. 3, one or more of the dividers 40 a-i (here divider 40 f is shown in a semi-installed position and being slide into place in the direction of arrow 41) are preferably detachably secured to the vertical organizer 40. Accordingly, a user may select the location and number of dividers 40 to place within the vertical organizer 20 to increase the defined space 50, 50′ between dividers (40 a, 40 b for space 50, 40 b, 40 d for space 50′) as needed to accommodate oversized documents and the like. For example, FIG. 3 shows that by removing divider 40 c from FIG. 1, defined space 50′ is increased over the defined space 50 between adjacent dividers 40 a, 40 b.

One structure for detachably securing the dividers to the organizer is best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. A pair of spaced-apart protrusions 60 is positioned along the left side 28 and right side 30 of the organizer 20 to define a slot 62 for receiving a divider 40 therethrough. Preferably three pairs of protrusions 60 are positioned on each side 28, 30 of the organizer 20 and vertically aligned so as to define an elongate vertical slot 62′ for receiving a divider 40 therethrough. More preferably, a pair of protrusions 60 is positioned toward the top 34 of the organizer 20, a pair of protrusions (not shown) is positioned toward the middle 70 of the organizer 20, and a pair of protrusions (not shown) is positioned toward the floor 80 of the organizer 20 so the elongate vertical slot 62′ extends from the top 34 to floor 80 of the organizer for receiving a divider 40 therein. Matching sets of pairs of protrusions 60 are positioned on the left side 28 of the organizer with the resulting slot (not shown) on the left side 29 aligned with the elongate vertical slot 62′ (FIG. 2) formed on the right side 30 thereby allowing a divider 40 to be operably secured within the two slots as shown.

Preferably, the frame 22 of the vertical organizer 20 is formed of planar metal or the like with the pairs of spaced-apart protrusions 60 formed within the metal using known means and methods such as machine punching and the like. More preferably, the planar metal is bent and riveted together so as to provide an aesthetically pleasing structure.

If desired, unused or removed dividers 40 can be stored within the frame 22 in a stack. This is accomplished by simply not inserting the dividers into the slots 62′ formed by the pairs of protrusions.

As best shown in FIG. 3, the upper edge 90 of the organizer and floor 80 of the organizer are preferably upward sloping from the front side 24 to the back side 26 of the organizer as to allow documents and materials placed toward the rear of the organizer 20 to remain viewable, even with other documents are placed between forward positioned dividers 40.

More preferably, non-slip feet (not shown) and the like are placed on the lower side 92 of the vertical organizer 20 so as to prevent inadvertent movement of the organizer and prevent it from scratching surfaces that it is placed upon.

Having described and illustrated the principles of our invention with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be apparent that the invention can be modified in arrangement and detail without departing from such principles. For example, although the preferred material forming the frame 22 and dividers 40 is sheets of metal, any other suitable material such as molded plastic or the like could also be used.

In view of the many possible embodiments to which the principles may be put, it should be recognized that the detailed embodiment is illustrative only and should not be taken as limiting the scope of our invention. Accordingly, we claim as our invention all such modifications as may come within the scope and spirit of the following claims and equivalents thereto. 

1. A vertical organizer comprising: a frame having a front side, a back side, a bottom and an open top portion; a substantially planar divider detachably secured to the frame, said divider aligned substantially vertically so as to define an area for storing documents substantially vertically within the organizer.
 2. The vertical organizer of claim 1, further including a second planar divider detachably secured to the frame, said second planar divider and said planar divider spaced apart from each other and aligned substantially parallel to each other so as to define a plurality of areas for storing documents substantially vertically within the organizer.
 3. The vertical organizer of claim 2, wherein one of the first planar divider and planar divider is removed from the vertical organizer to define a large area for storing documents substantially vertical within the organizer.
 4. The vertical organizer of claim 1, wherein said organizer has an upwardly sloping top surface with respect to the front side to the back side of the frame.
 5. The vertical organizer of claim 4, further including a floor of the organizer, said floor aligned substantially parallel with the upwardly sloping top surface of the vertical organizer.
 6. The vertical organizer of claim 1, wherein said substantially planar divider is detachably secured to the frame with a pair of spaced apart protrusions defining a slot for receiving the substantially planar divider therein.
 7. The vertical organizer of claim 6, further including a plurality of said pair of spaced apart protrusions aligned substantially vertically along said left side and said right side of said frame, thereby defining an elongate slot on said left side and said right side for detachably receiving said divider therein.
 8. The vertical organizer of claim 1, wherein said frame and said divider are formed with sheets of substantially planar metal.
 9. The vertical organizer of claim 8, wherein said frame is formed with a sheet of substantially planar metal bent to form a substantially rectangular box having and upwardly sloping top surface.
 10. The vertical organizer of claim 8, wherein said substantially planar divider is detachably secured to the frame with a pair of spaced apart protrusions defining a slot for receiving the substantially planar divider therein, said pair of spaced apart protrusions machine stamped into the substantially planar metal. 